Right Off The Shelf - Fat In A Syringe

Aesthetic medicine is basking in its golden era. Fusion of innovative materials and highly evolved perspectives on what truly constitutes a youthful look has set altogether new standards to deliver naturally beautiful results. Doctors are now injecting a host of compounds to lift, mold, and contour. Most aesthetic treatments last no more than an hour, and recovery times are equally swift. All this aesthetic razzle-dazzle is enough to make scalpels seem downright crude and “right off the shelf” has become the new norm to go.

To enhance facial contours and impart youth, fat injections have always been popular among people who are looking for natural volume replacement. A good number of people don’t want any artificial materials injected into their bodies. Reality Check - Among the lot who like the idea of natural augmentation there are always a niche of hypochondriacs who are not ready to commit to liposuction and re-injection routine. And then there are those walk-in patients with a desire to be treated with fat injections right now right here. They show a bucket full of disappointed when they are asked to run a battery of blood tests with a follow-up appointment set at a later date to perform liposuction and re-injection session. Not anymore!

The Dawn Of A New Era

On 23^rd September 2016 at the annual gathering for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Biologica Technologies® launched Allofill™ the first ever injectable fat-like filler.

Scalpel Free Sculpting

Allofill is the first product of its kind - a ready to use, ‘off the shelf’, adipose-derived injectable filler that works with the body to provide an all-natural tissue scaffold with native growth factors.  Allofill retains the native extracellular matrix (ECM) components of allograft-derived fat tissue and over time is remodeled into a patient’s own soft tissue.

What is Allofill?

Allograft is made from donated human fat tissue that has been cleaned and sterilized very carefully. It can be used to fill soft-tissue defects as a noninvasive alternative to surgical fat grafting with your own tissue. In a typical fat grafting procedure fat is harvested from one part of your body and is injected into another part of your body or face. With Allofill harvesting your own fat isn’t necessary since Allofill is ready to use off the shelf and can be injected in one simple and easy treatment session.

How Allofill Works?

Fat loss usually happens through the natural aging process or from the surgical removal of tissue, and can affect the volume and shape of face and body. Facial fat loss can contribute to the appearance of sagging face, a typical hallmark of an aging. Allofill can be injected under the skin to immediately fill soft tissue defects caused by fat loss.

After injection Allofill works with your body over time and provides all-natural tissue scaffolding, which repopulates your own cells and blood vessels to cushion and support your skin. As your body goes through its natural healing process, Allofill is gradually remodeled into normal soft tissue by your body.

Comments From The Specialist

Allofill is going to be a unique addition in any aesthetic injectors’ bag of tools aimed at enhancing and contouring face as well as body. This off-the-shelf fat-derived filler promises the best of both worlds – 1) long-lasting results associated with fat grafting plus 2) the convenience of other ready-to-use injectables. All eyes are going to be focused on how its fairs in practical clinical use.

Indulge In Permanent Hair Reduction With IPL At Home Like A Boss

I want to look hairy – said no one ……. Ever!  Who wants to run and grab the razor every time a short dress is on the social menu? Obviously no one! This tells us how important hair-free smooth skin is to all of us in today’s fast paced society that holds us pristine under the high standards of self-grooming.

Looking At Our Hair Removal Choices

Waxing and shaving have been the norms of hair removal since forever and more. With introduction of epilation devices the younger generation of dames were introduced to an elegant & hassle-free way to enjoy relatively long-term (3-4 weeks) hair-free smooth skin. Then dawned upon us the golden era of laser and IPL (Intense Pulse Light) assisted permanent hair reduction. A chance to permanently get rid of unwanted hairy bits of our body excited everyone. Ladies lined up in throws at aesthetic laser clinics signing up for the ultimate yet uber expensive new technological break through that promised permanent results.

The secret desire in every female heart since the inception of laser/IPL hair devices was, “When can I get a home device and save some money?” which struck a major cord with the innovators catering to hair removal industry - let them have their cake and eat it too.

The Dawn Of The Home IPL Devices:

Today we live in a world where life can be carefree and spontaneous with no worries attached to hair removal as affordable permanent hair reduction devices are at our fingertips. You can permanently get rid of your visible hair safely and privately in the comfort of your own home without breaking your bank. On this note let me introduce you to a home-based permanent hair reduction device from a brand that we all have absolute faith in.

Braun Silk-expert Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

While designing Silk-expert IPL for home users world’s #1 hair removal brand, Braun has incorporated years of laser hair removal research along with the most cutting edge technology to place a true marvel of innovation in your hands. Each pulse in this device is optimized to target the melanin in the hair follicle safely and effectively. The procedure is virtually painless and delivers long-lasting hair-free smooth skin.

The Silk-expert device comes fitted with all the latest and most advanced bells and whistles required to give safe and effective hair removal experience. To give you an insider view here are some of the key features that really set Silk-expert IPL apart from the herd of other devices in the market.

Skin Tone Sensor P&G research has revealed that 80% of women have two or more different skin tones on their face. To give safe and effective results Silk-expert IPL features an integrated skin tone sensor that continuously adapts the light intensity to the user’s skin tone to give reliable hair reduction. It has been clinically tested for safe and effective use at home.          

Advanced Technology: Braun Silk-expert IPL is ergonomically designed and easy to hold and use. Keeping in mind the fact that hair in different parts of the body is not the same Silk-expert IPL has been designed to deliver treatment in two different light modes – ‘Normal’ or ‘Gentle’.

Normal mode is recommended for skin surfaces such as legs, arms, chest and back.

Gentle mode is the ideal setting for first-time users or for treating sensitive areas, such as face and the bikini-line. In this mode the technology adapts to different skin tones as fast and accurately as in normal mode, just in a lower energy level.

Ease Of Use: Silk-expert IPL delivers treatment in two different treatment modes to select from – ‘Glide’ or ‘Press & Release’

Glide mode: Enables fast and efficient treatments and is recommended for large surface areas (e.g. legs, arms, chest and back). Press, hold and glide is all that is required to deliver fast effective treatment.

Press & Release mode: This is recommended for treating sensitive or small, hard-to reach areas such as knees, shins, ankles, bikini line or underarm and face for women. Press and release delivers a single shot making it easy for you to treat hard to reach areas. This prevents risk of multiple shots being accidentally delivered in the same treatment area.

How Does Flashing Light On The Skin & Hair Leads To Permanent Hair Reduction?

Not ordinary light, but specialized wavelengths of light absorbed only by brown and black pigment are used to target the hair follicles. When the melanin in the hair shaft and root absorbs the light, it’s transformed into heat that breaks the hair growth cycle and damages the hair root (follicle) attached to the base of the hair leading to permanent hair reduction.

Understand The Hair Cycle

Before you learn in depth how IPL hair removal works and how many sessions you require, you need to understand the hair growth cycles. Our hair grows in three phases anagen, catagen, and telogen phase. 

Anagen phase: During this phase the hair grows actively from the follicle (root).

Catagen phase: This is a short transitional period in which the hair stops growing and the hair follicle shrinks in size. Eventually the follicle breaks away from the dermal papilla, which supplies nutrients to the hair follicle. The dermal papilla then regresses.

Telogen Phase:  It’s also called the resting phase. During this phase, the hair follicle re-attaches to the dermal papilla, at which point the follicle re-enters the anagen phase. As a new hair begins to grow, the old hair is pushed out of the follicle.

Million Dollar Question - Why Do You Need More Than One Session?

If you pull a hair out you’d see that the hair follicle is transparent in color. For permanent hair reduction we use wavelengths of light that are absorbed by the brown or black pigment in the hair. If the hair is attached to the root like in Anagen or early Telogen phase the hair will burn and the root will burn with it. If the root follicles has regressed and not attached with the hair only hair will burn with no permanent damage to the root.

To sum it up the results from an IPL hair removal procedure depend on skin tone, hair type, and the growth phase of the hair being treated. On average most people need from 5-10 session to get qualitative results.

Key Take Home Message

It is important to realize that IPL hair removal will likely not prevent hair from growing completely. However, IPL hair removal can reduce hair growth significantly over time giving your skin the smooth appearance that you desire. With continued and periodic use the hair eventually will become weaker, finer, lighter and slower to grow.

Shortly after this article I will be publishing answers to your most asked questions concerning home IPL permanent hair reduction – Stay tuned!